Gear-shift-lever lock



Q. L. JOHNSON. GEAR sum LEVER LOCK.

APPLIC'II'lOIN FILED JML 27,]1919- Mar" 1,

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(fai /aw ammo??? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLVIN L.' JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNSON AUTOMOBILE LOCK CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GEAR-SHIFT-LEVER LOCK..

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

To all whom it may c0ncern:

Be it known that I, CoLvIN L. JoHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and state of Illinois have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Shift-Lever Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates more particularly to a gear shift lever locking mechanism wherein a locking block slidably mounted upon the lower endof the lever is adapted to be actuated by a key-operated mechanism to cause projections on said block to be moved into recesses provided in a shiftable control member forming a part of the gear shift mechanism of a motor vehicle.

. It is an object of this invention to provide an automobile gear shift lever lock wherein a slidable block is provided with projections adapted to be moved to seat in recesses formed in anadjustable .lever guide block which controls the movement of the lever.

' Another object of this invention is the construction of'a gear. shift lever lock having a locking block engaged thereon adapted to be moved into locking enga ement with a slotted slidable member whic controls the movement of the lever and forms a part of the gear shift mechanism, said locking block when engaged in said slidable member serving to hold said lever locked against longitudinal movement with respect to said slidablemember.

. Itis an important objectof the invention to provide a gear shift lever lock of simple and effective construction adapted to. lock a gear shift lever against longitudinal shifting but permittting transverse shifting thereof.

Other and further objects of this inven tion will be apparent fro-m the disclosures 'in the specification and drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical section I through a gear shift lever and its housing,

showing a locking mechanism embodying the principles of this invention in elevation and in release position.

Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, with parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on l1ne 33,' of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a verticalsectiontaken on line 4- 1 of ig. 1, showing parts in elevation.

F 1g. 5 1s a fragmentary sectional view of the device showing the parts in looking position.

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the lower portion of the gear shift lever and the locking mechanism, with parts shown in section 21nd parts omitted to disclose the construction.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 77, of Fig. 6. 1

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1, indicates the cover plate of an automobile gear shift casing, and integrally formed on said cover plate is an upright fulcrum housing, casing or support 2, on the upper end of which an externally threaded neck 3, is integrally formed. A flange ring 4:, is integrally formed within the housing 1, where said- 'houslng jOlIl-S'thIlECk, 3. Seated upon the flange 1, is a socket member 5, for movably receivm the ball 6, of a gear shift lever 7, the tall or lower end 8, of which is formed to afford fiat sides. The lower end of the lever tail piece 8, is tapered to. provide a tip 9, adaptedto co-act with the gear shifting mechanisms of the automobile.

Adjustably threaded through the lower portion of one of the side walls of the housing 3, is a pair of parallel screw bolts 10, the

ameter and smooth with the end portions threaded as-denoted by the reference numeral 12.

ing movement of a gear shift controlling block or member, embracing a top plate 14,

to project downwardly through the controlling member. A recess or switch 17, is

cut in each of the controlling member side walls 15, and opens through the top plate 14, to communicate with the longitudinal slot 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

inner portions 11, of which are reduced in di Stop nuts 13, are removably threaded on the bolt ends 12, for limiting the slid- 23, therein to permit the locking block to be slidably engaged on the gear shift lever tail 8. Integrallyformed centrally on the lower edge of each of the two sides of the locking block, is a locking lug or projection 24, adapted when the locking block is moved intolo'cking position to seat within one of the recesses 17, to prevent movement of the gear shift lever in the slot16.

Seated in a recess formed in the locking block 22, is the lower end of the latch or looking bar 25, which is secured to said locking block by means of a screw 26, or other suitable means. Formed longitudinally in the gear shift lever 7, is a long passage 27, for receiving the latch bar, the

upper end of which is provided with a transverse slot 28. Mounted in a chamber 29, formed in an enlarged portion 30, of the gear shift lever 7, is a pin lock 31, having a rotatable barrel 32, on which a pin 33, is secured to project through the slot 28, in the upper endof the gear shift lever.

As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the passage 27, which opens through one side of the lever 7, is closed by means of a suitably shaped retaining bar 3.4, which is disposed in the outer part of the passage 27, and is secured to the lever by any suitable means to inclose the latch bar 25, which is bent to permit the lower portion thereof to project out of the lever to permit the lower end of said latch bar to be secured to the locking block 22, as already described. v

The operation is a follows Fig. 1, shows the neutral position of the gear shift lever, with the locking member in elevated normal position to permit the gear shift lever'to be shifted backward or forward in the slot 16, or sidewise to slidably move the control block 14l5, on the guide bolts 10. A composite movement of the gear shift lever is thus'permitted, so that the gears of an automobileor any other motor driven vehicle may be selectively operated.

In unlocked position of the lever 7, the pin 33, on the lock barrel 32, is in its uppermost position at one end of the ,slot 28, formed in the upper end of the latch bar 25, to hold the'latch' bar and the locking bl ck 22-24, in release position. To look the lever from movement longitudinally in the slot 16, of the control block 1415,

the lever is first shifted to neutral position, and a key is inserted into the pin lock 31, to rotate the barrel 32, thereby sliding the lock pin 33, in the slot 28, thus forcing the latch bar 25, downwardly and moving the locking block 22, on the, lever tail 8, into 7 locking position wherein the lugs 2 1, seat in the recesses 17, of the control block 1 115, to hold the lever locked against longitudinal movement with respect to the control block, and thereby preventing theft of a vehicle, equipped with such a lock. To unlock the device, it is only necessary to 0 insert the key in the lock 31, and turn the barrel 32, in an opposite direction to cause lifting of the latch bar 25, and the locking block attached thereto.

I am aware that various details of con- 8 struction may be varied through 'a wide Y range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.-

I claim as my invention I 1. In a gear shift lever lock of the class described the combination with a gear shift lever, of locking means therein, a locking 7 block engaged around the lever and actuatable by-the locking means, lugs integrally formed onthe locking block, and an adjustable recessed control block' for the lever adapted to receive said lugs seated in the re-'- v cesses thereof to'hold the lever locked.

2. In a device of the'class described the combination with a gear shift lever, of lock-. ing means therein,.a locking block slidable on said lever below the point of pivotal connection thereof and connected to said locking means, projections integrally formed on said locking block, resilient centralizing means for said locking block and a slotted levercontrol block forming apart of the gear shift mechanism of a vehicle and haw ing recesses formed therein adapted to receive said projections .to' hold' the lever locked.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a gear shift lever of a locking block slidable thereon below the point of pivotal connection thereof, lugs integrally formed on the sides thereof, an adjustable slotted control block throu h which said lever projects, said control b ook having recesses formed therein, and key-operated 'meanswithin the gear shift lever connected with said locking block to move the same downwardly into a position wherein said lugs engage in the recesses in the control block to hold the lever locked against movement in said slotted control block.

4. In a device of the class described thecombination with a block forming a part of the gear shift mechanism of an automobile,

said block having recesses and a longitudinal s1o't.therein, means for adjustably supporting said block, a gear shift lever projecting downwardly through the slot .111 said block a locking member slidably mounted on said lever, projections integrally formed thereon, and key-operated means within said lever connected with said locking members to move the same downwardly into a locking position wherein the projections formed thereon will-seat in the recesses of said block to hold the lever locked.v

5. The combination with a' gear shift lever, of transversely slidable means controlling the movement thereof, and locking means on said lever adapted to be moved into position to engage said controlling hold the lever looked against longitudinal movement with respect to said controlling means. g

6. The combination with a gear shift lever, of adjustable supporting members:

mounted on opposite sidesof the lower end of said lever, slotted means shiftably en gaged on said members with the lower end Lof saidvlever projecting therethrough, a lo'ckingmember on-sald lever, and means formed thereon adapted to be moved into engagement with said slotted means to hold thelever locked against forward andbackward movement with respect to said slotted means.

7. The combination with a slidable control block forming a part of the gear shift mechanism of an. automobile and having rec'esses and a slot formedvtherein, means for adjustably supporting said control block, a gear shift lever projecting throughvthe slot in the control block, locking means in said lever, a locking member slidable on said lever and connected with said locking means, and lugs integrally formed on said locking member, said locking means adapted to move the locking member into a locking position wherein said lugs engage in the recesses of thecontrol block to hold the lever locked against movement in the control block slot.

wIn testlmony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- COLVIN L. JOHNSON. Witnessesz 1 CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr.,

E. MCMULLEN. 

